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Wednesday, 13 June 2012

London is a great place for vintage shopping. The amount of
boutiques dedicated to this topic is almost intimidating. Follow me on a tour
through the centuries from East to West, South to North and discover some
amazing stores and hidden gems.

Vintage Chanel bag at Atelier-Mayer

EAST

Blondie

Blondie must be the cutest vintage boutique I know. It is like entering a girly closet with shoes,
handbags, pretty dresses and belts. Everything is lovingly arranged on opulent
tables, shelves and in golden cabinets with magnificent mirrors to admire
yourself. Only problem could be that there is just too much choice for fast
decisions

Shoe sizes range from 1-7 with only a few pairs in larger sizes. If
you’re not lucky in the shoe department don’t worry, just focus on the enormous
handbags selection offering animals leathers in every form and shape from
ostrich to snake and from crocodile to lizard. Prices start at £25 for shoes
and go up to £250 for a designer handbag.

On Brick Lane, only a short walk away from Blondie, you’ll find
Rokit. Not just one but two Rokit boutiques cater for vintage lovers in the
East. No 101 offers a mix of men and women and 107 is just for us. Both stores have
an inviting boutique atmosphere and are a far cry from the usual smelly and
crammed second hand parlors you’ll often find.

Don’t expect designer treasures here but a good selection of frocks
from the 60s, 80s and some 90s brands. Also on offer are Highstreet labels and
a huge denim collection; think of cute little Levis shorts, Lee and Wrangler
jeans. My clear favourite was the custom Rokit Range that uses vintage fabrics
and gives them a contemporary makeover. Whether it’s leather bags made of super
soft leather with vintage fabric lining, to carry your books to Uni, or collars
edgy with studs, girly in crochet or sophisticated in suede, you are spoilt for
choice.

Don’t miss the jewellery. The massive selection outshines many
Highstreet retailers the way it’s presented and allows you to pile on the bling
for just a friction of the price.

The Merchant is one hell of a boutique. Imagine you would walk into
a Net-a-porter wardrobe and everything is on sale for 70% less. This is what
you’re looking at at the Merchant on Kings Road. The boutique classifies as consignment
store selling pre-owned high-end designer labels. Most of the designer gear is
less than 3 years old, hardly or not worn at all, in mint condition and some
still at full price in other stores.

Vanessa, the owner, a former stylist and well connected in fashion
circles won’t reveal her sources. Only as much is said, they are from industry
insiders, celebrities and wealthy private individuals.

Brands include designers such as Hermes, Chanel, Marni, Isabel
Marent including high-end boutique labels like Maje, The Kooples and Malene
Birger. Piece-de-résistance was a show-stopping Matthew Williamson dress with
lavish beading for £700. But really, there was so much to get excited about
that you better stay far away from this shop if you’re prone to a heart attack.

The Merchant is open until August, 12th and with new
luxury fashion labels arriving daily this is one shop not to be missed.

This jewel in Notting Hill is a real treasure trove. The tiny windows
show photos of celebrities posing with Jeff, the owner and lure you in with Chanel
bags on display. Once you’re in you forget the outside world and the buzz on
Portobello Road. High-end avant-garde
vintage pieces ranging from Victorian through to the '80s are presented 360
degrees with half of the stock hanging from the ceiling. Not sure if it’s the fact that there’s so
much to admire (fur coats, evening gowns, boots, bags, hats, shoes) or simply
the fact that the best stuff is above your head but most of the time I found
myself gazing up amazed with my mouth half open.

And here comes the best part. The shop doesn’t end in the shoe
department or the area with menswear, no, there is in fact a secret room. This
is where Jeff stores his real treasures.
Hidden behind an innocent looking mirror are Chanel bags, Ossi Clark
gowns, YSL jewellery – dream it and you’ll find it here. Apparently the who is who of the showbiz goes
in & out (usually after dark) to pick a dress that is unique and - “One-of-a kind”.

What The Merchant is for contemporary fashion is Atelier Mayer for
vintage. Hidden in a side street just off Edgeware Road you’ll find this grand
dame of vintage. A store made for collectors and connoissoirs of fashion with heritage,
craftsmanship, good design and style.

The store presents itself with understated elegance and only on
second look reveals the quality of its stock and labels. The upstairs wets your
appetite while the plush downstairs serves course after course of
breathtakingly beautiful gowns that wrote fashion history. I spotted a bright yellow Jean Pataou swimsuit
complete with dramatic Turban (perfect for your next trip to Saint Tropez), a
most amazing sequined sailor top by Oscar de la Renta (ideal for looking pretty
and simply waving to your admirers) and 3 Chanel bags, one even with embossed
logo (very hard to get).

Rumor says that Madame Meyer owns a whole warehouse full of vintage fashion.
Apparently it took 4 months to catalogue alone the jewellery collection. Oh,
how much I wish to be trapped in that warehouse. Only for one night.

Easy to spot from far away with its sparkling golden shopfront Lucy
in Disguise is a Vintage Wonderland for the girl who likes dressing up. The
boutique has an inviting atmosphere with helpful staff and an amazing
collection of dresses from the 20s through to the 80s. All frocks for over £170
are available for hire so if you fall in love with the original 20s flapper
dress or the stunning handbeaded partydress you can take it home for 3 nights
for just 30% of the retail price.

It is worth, though, to rummage through the rails properly. Lots of
pieces are around £50, specifically LID’s own collection of vintage inspired
dresses. I left the shop totally pleased
with myself after I angled a super cute vintage dress with floral print out of
the bargain box for just £20. Despite the low price tag it was carefully
wrapped in tissue paper and packed into a beautiful paper bag. You can’t beat
that.

Sunday, 3 June 2012

London is an amazing city when it comes to shopping but can also be
a little overwhelming. The city offers much more than just Oxford Street and
Topshop. It is full of exciting boutiques, some with unusual concepts others
packed full of rare finds and not just one has got what it takes to make a
shopper’s heart beat faster.

Boxpark, conveniently located right next to Shoreditch High Street
Station is the world’s first pop-up mall built entirely of shipping containers.
They are cleverly stacked up and house a selection of groundbreaking brands and
eateries. As a Boxpark tenant you have to be flexible and adapt to your unusual
surroundings. While it’s high and wide
in other stores it’s long and narrow in Boxpark. Still, what came out is
revolutionary and definitely worth a visit.

With twenty fashion brands offering exclusive limited edition items and
regular special promotions (check out their website and get 20% off), Boxpark
should not be missed. It will be gone in less than 5 years so be there and see
square.

LN-CC is an appointment only concept store in east London that is
worth a visit alone for its dramatic entrance. A futuristic skeletal tunnel constructed
from raw wood is glowing orange through acrylic lights and leads the way to 560
square meters of retail space. The store stocks a selection of the best
mainline brands fused with underground Japanese labels plus the best of up-and-coming
designers from across the world. What you find here you probably won’t find
anywhere else which explains their huge international fanbase.

The pieces are showcased in seven completely different concept
rooms each with its own focus and feel. Don’t forget to check out the book
and record store and if you get the chance sneak a peak into their very own
nightclub space. Clothing, music and art, a killer combination and I promise
you won’t be disappointed.

Willa Keswick’s lifestyle boutique in Notting Hill is every fashion
girls dream. It’s an art gallery like
fashion wonderland with crucifixes on neon flashing walls, skulls in every
shape and colour (if you ever wanted a skull shaped telephone covered in
Swarovski crystals you get it here), books, stickers, sweets, jewellery and a
lot of clothes.

If you’re after up-and-coming young designers such as A.F.
Vandevorst, Clemency of London, Felder Felder or brands like We are Handsome,
Tripp Jeans, Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, and DANNIJO this is the
place to go. The selection is playful and cool for girls who like to take risks
and have fun with fashion. Prices range from £2 to £2000; so there should be something
for everyone. Expect to spend hours.

When I first saw pictures of United Nude I couldn’t believe this is
a store (and not an art project) and was thrilled to find out it’s right here
in Covent Garden. Spanning nearly 200 square meters the store is encased in
total darkness. This is until a massive LED wall comes to live presenting each
shoe like a piece of art in its own frame and in ever changing colours of
light. The Wall of Light is connected to the sound system and changes slowly in
sync with the music. It is for sure an impressive introduction and you won’t be
disappointed by the ‘art’ either. United Nude shoes are elegant, innovative and
equally dramatic as the place they’re coming from.

Tatty Devine is a quirky little boutique selling plastic jewellery. Don’t
snub your nose before you’ve seen it. Plastic has never been presented in a
more fun and truly unique way. Tatty Devine somehow manages to create the most
amazing shapes, figures and colours. If it's sunglasses complete with extra
large lashes, a Mexican skull in eye popping colours or a statement necklace
made of the bones of a huge dinosaur, it has “want it” written all over it. This shop is a real treat and has instant
feel-good vibes.